Machine for applying fastening devices to fabric articles



Jan. 26, 1960 M. col-IN 2,922,162

MACHINE FCR- AEPLYING EASTENING DEVICES To FABRIC ARTICLES FiledJuIy 24.'1957 4 sheets-sheet 1 /NVENTOP MAURICE COH/V ATTORNEYS Jan. 26, 1960 M.'coHN 2,922,162l

MACHINE FCR APPLYING FASIENING DEVICES To FABRIC ARTICLES V f ff M LM Tk/ 4%* /NvENTo/a MAUR/c5 coH/v j er wm A r roam/EVS Jan'. 26, 1960 M.coHN 2,922,162

' MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENING DEvIcEs To FABRIC ARTICLES FiId July24, 1957- 4 sheets-sheet s F/c. 7 f

v y l /N VENTO/:V

Filed` July 24., '1957 Jan. 26, 1960 M. coHN 2,922,162

MACHINE FOR APPLYING FASTENING DEVICES TO FABRIC ARTICLES v 4Sheets-Sheet 4 ATTORNEYS United States atet MACHINE FOR APPLYIN GFASTENING DEVICES T FABRIC ARTICLES Maurice Cohn, South Coventry, Conn.

Application July 24, 1957, Serial No. 673,801

7 Claims. (Cl. 1 3) This invention relates to a machine for securingfastening devices to fabric articles and, more specically, to a machinewhich is particularly adapted to apply hook and eye type fasteningdevices to garments such as mens trousers. This application discloses amachine of the type shown in my co-pending application Serial No.607,904, iiled September 4, 1956, on Machine for Applylying FasteningDevices to Fabric Articles, now Patent No. 2,852,777, dated September23, 1958.

It is the general object of the invention to provide a machine of theaforementioned type which is capable of substantially foolproofautomatic operation and which has provision for the feeding of thefastening devices so that the operator need handle only the garment orother article to which the fastening devices are to be applied, wherebythe machine can be operated by persons of little or no mechanical skillor training.

The drawings show a preferred embodiment of the invention and suchembodiment will be described, but it will be understood that variouschanges may be made from the construction disclosed, and that thedrawings and description are not to be construed as defining or limitingthe scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of thisspecification being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings,

Fig. l is a front elevational view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a garment fastening hook and its backingplate;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a garment fastening eye and its backingplate;

Fig. 4 is a plan view of a section of tape which adhesively supportsgarment fastening hooks for feeding the same into the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of a section of tape which adhesively supports aplurality of backing plates for the hooks of Fig. 4 and which feeds thebacking plates into the machine of Fig. 1;

Fig. 6 is a right-hand end view of the machine with parts thereof shownin vertical section as indicated by the line 6-6 of Fig. l;

Fig. 7 is a horizontal sectional view through the machine taken asindicated by the line 7--7 of Fig. l;

Fig. 8 is a left-hand end View of the punch section of the machine;

Fig. 9 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of the punch andanvil employed in the machine;

Fig. 10 is a detail horizontal cross-sectional view taken as indicatedby the line 10-10 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 11 is an enlarged elevational view of the mechanism for driving thefeed tape reels oif the ram;

Fig. lla is a sectional view of the aforesaid drive mechanism taken asindicated by the line 11a- 11a of Fig. 6;

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view through the machine taken asindicated by the line 12-12 of Fig. 6; and

Fig. 13 is an enlarged detail view of the structure for operating theram air cylinder.

As mentioned hereinabove, the machine provided in accordance with thisinvention is particularly adapted to apply hook and eye type fasteningdevices to garments or other fabric articles. rl"his type of fasteningdevice has many applications, one of the most common applications beingon mens trousers to secure the waist band thereof. In Figs. 2 and 3,there are shown the elements making up the fastening device, thesecomprising a hook 10, its backing plate 12, an eye 14 and its backingplate 16. The hook and eye elements are similar in that each has a pairof prongs 18, 18 and the backing plate elements are similar in that eachhas a pair of prong-receiving apertures 20, 20. In applying the hook 10,for eX- ample, to one end of the waist band of a pair of trousers, theIvvaist band or at least one fabric layer thereof is placed between thehook and its backing plate 12 and then the hook and backing plate areengaged so that the prongs 18, 18 on the hook will extend through thefabric layer and the apertures 2t), 20 in the backing plate and beclinched toward each other on the backing plate. The eye 14 is similarlysecured to th-e other end of the waist band by projecting its prongs 1S,18 through the fabric and apertures 20, 20 of its backing plate 16 sothat the ends of the prongs may be clinched over the backing platetoward each other.

Various types of machines have heretofore been offered to the trade forapplying the garment fastening hooks and eyes, but I am not aware thatany of the known machines have been wholly successful and all havecertain disadvantages. For example, machines have been provided forclinching or stapling the hooks and eyes to the fabric articles whichoperate satisfactorily, but which require time consuming manual feed.Other machines which are designed to be more fully automatic than themachine just mentioned provide complicated feeding mechanism or hopperswhich have not been found to be reliable in operation and these machineshave lbeen subject to frequent breakdown and time consuming periods ofinoperation for adjustment and/ or repair.

In accordance with the present invention a machine is provided whichwill set a hook or eye in fabric by clinching the same on its backingplate, and it is a feature of this machine to provide reliable andfoolproof means for automatically feeding the hooks and eyes and thebacking plates and for properly positioning them for the settingoperation of the machine. The machine includes driven reciprocable meansadapted to receive a moving feed tape which adhesively supports aplurality of the hook or eye elements and the reciprocable means has astop which will engage and position the said elements successively, andthen the reciprocable means moves them into clinching engagement withthe backing plates which are also supplied on a moving feed tape. It isa further and more specific feature of the machine to move the tape ortapes by means of motion transmitting means driven by the reciprocablemeans.

Figs. 4 and 5 show sections of the feed tapes, the tape 22 being shownas supporting a plurality of garment fastening hooks 10, 10 and the tape24 being shown as supporting a plurality of backing plates 12, 12 forthe said hooks. The hooks and their backing plates are shown supportedon the tapes 22 and 24 for example only, and it should be understoodthat the same or similar tapes could be employed for supporting aplurality of eyes 14, 14 and their backing plates 16, 16. While themachine to be described is shown as being employed to secure the garmentfastening hooks 10, 10, the same or a similar machine can be employedfor applying the garment fastening eyes, and it should also beunderstood that a machine of the character shown may be employed withfeed tapes to effect engagement of elements other than the hook and eyeand backingv plate elements shown.

spool) with the hook prongs projecting radially inwardly and with thenon-adhesive side of the tape exposed on the roll. The backing plates12, 12 are similarly secured to the adhesive side of the tape 24 andthen the tape 24 is rolled (preferably on a spool) with the adhesiveVside of the tape and the backing plate facing outwardly. VWhen'thetapes 22 and 24 are rolled as described, they are then ready to beplaced upon reel structures 26 and 28, respectively, which form a partof the machine shown'in Fig. 1` and whichA will now be described. Y i

The machine is preferably arranged upon a table such as the table 30 so,that it can be operated from a seated position. The machine frameincludes a base 32 which is secured to the top of the table 30, thetable 30 being open at the front to accommodate elementsof the machineas will be described. A press frame 34 is rigidly secured to thertable30 and it has a forwardly and upwardly projecting portion supporting anair cylinder 35 for a vertically movable ram 36 which is guided in aportion 37 of the frame 34. A hook-setting punch indicated generally at38 is secured to the bottom end of the ram 36 for movement relative toan anvil 40 which is mounted on the base 32 below the ram and punch.

The operation of the press will be more fully described hereinafter.

A relatively large plate 44 is suitably secured to the press frame in asubstantially vertical position and faces forwardly. The plate 44 is theprincipal support plate of the frame structure and it is upon this platethat the pay-off reel 26 is mounted for the hook tape roll and thesaidplate also supports a take-up reel 46 for the hook tape 22. The framestructure for the machine also includes an angle iron bar 48 which ismounted on the base 32 and which extends across the opening in the table30. The support for the pay-off reel 28 which receives the rolledbacking plate tape 24 is suspended from the bar 48 as is the journal fora take-up reel 50 for the tape 24, the reels 28 and 50 being7 disposedbelow the bar 48 in the front opening of the ltable 30.

InV accordance with the present invention, the supply spool of tape 22supporting the hooks 10, 10 is placed on the reel 26 and the tape 22 isthen threaded through the machine, as will be described, onto a spoolsupported on the take-up reel 46. The supply spool of tape24`supportingrthe backing plates 172, 12 is placed on the reel' 28 andthe tape 24 is threaded through the machine, as will be described, ontoa suitable spool supported on the `take-up reel 50. In operation of themachine, vertical movement of the ram 36 is utilized to rotate therespective take-up reels 46 and 50 and the said take-up reels areutilized to draw the tapesV 22 and 24, respectively, through themachine. Y

The tape 22 is unwound fromthe pay-olf reel 26 in a counterclockwisedirection as viewed from the front and passes over a driven pulley 52 inaclockwise direction and then Ypasses in a similar direction over apulley 5.4 with the adhesive side of the tape and the hooks 10, facingoutwardly with respect to the said pulleys. The tape then extends over arstroller 58 in a counterclockwise direction with the adhesive side VoftheV tape and vthe hooks 10, l() facing inwardly of the roller, and thetape 1s similarly passed over a second roller 60. Then the tape extendsunder the hook-setting punch 38 with the hooks facing downwardly and thestripped tape 22 passes through the punch 38 and over a roller 62. "ljhetape passes over the roller 62 in a clockwise direction w1th theadhesive side of the tape facing outwardly and then passes over a smallpulley 64 in a clockwiser direction and under a pivotally supportedpulley 66 in a counterclockwise direction. And, finally, the strippedtape extends upwardly and is wound upon the take-up or drive reel 46 ina counterclockwise direction with the adhesive side of the tape facinginwardly in the roll. Each of the aforementioned elements engaging andsupporting the hook tape 22 will now be described.

As shown in Figs. l and 6, the pay-olf reel 26 is rotatably mounted on ashaft or pin 6 8 which is non-rotatably supported in a block 70 toproject forwardly from the plate 44 at the upper right-hand portionthereof. The spool or roll of tape is held on the reel 26 by means of aplurality of gripping ribs 72, 72 provided on the periphery of the reelin suchV a manner that the spool can be placed on the -reel'from thefront thereof. The forwardly projecting end of the pin or shaft 68 hasattened sides 74, 74 and is threaded. The flattened sides are adapted toreceive and non-rotatably support a pressure plate76 whichris' placed onthe shaft so as to engage the front face 77 of the reel. -The said frontface has a friction pad, adhesively secured thereto and a spring 78surrounds the extending end of the shaft and is pressed against thefront face of the pressure plate 76V by means of a nut 80 which isthreaded on the projecting front end of the pin. Obviously, by turningthe nut 80 to advance it toward the plate, the spring force thereon isincreased to increase the frictional engagement between the plate 76 andthe friction face 77 of the reel 26 whereby to determine the force whichmust be applied to the tape 22 to rotate the reel on the shaft 68 whenunwinding or pulling the tape from the reel.

v Some of the unwinding or feeding force is applied to the tape 22 bymeans of the driven pulley 52. The pulley 52 is secured to theprojecting front end of a shaft 82 which is supported in a block 83 andjournalled in the frame plate 44. A gear 85 is secured on theprojectingrear end of the said shaft and is engaged and driven by thedrive structure as will be described hereinafter. The pulley 52 isprovided with a friction surface, such as rubber, whereby to pull thetape from the reel 26.

The pulley 54 which next receives the tape 22 is nondriven, beingrotatably supported on a pin 84. The pin 84- is supported in andprojects forwardly from a second andsmaller` plate 86 which is disposedforwardly of and parallel to the main frame plate 44, the plate 86 beingsupported by the plate 44 on suitable posts 88, 88 and on a screw 90. Y

The roller 58 is merely a freely rotatable guide roller supportedforwardly of the plate 86 on a suitable pin. The second guide roller 60is generally similar to the roller 58 but it is rotatably supported on aplate 92 which is secured to the ram 36 for vertical movement withtheram and the hook-setting punch 38. It will be observed that the guideroller 60 is mounted on the plate 92 above and to the right of thebottom end of the hook-setting punch 38 and it will also be observedthatrthe roller 6) is slightly above the roller 58 on the plate 86.Accordingly, in movement of the ram 36 and hook-setting punch from theposition shown in Fig. l downwardly toward engagement with the anvil 40,no addedtension is applied to the tape 22 by reason of such movement.

As will be 'more fullydescribed, each time the punch is moved towardengagement with the anvil, a hook is connected with a backing plate, andeach time the punch is elevated, the connected hook is stripped from thetape and the tape is advanced to position the next hook in the punch.Thus, the tape 22 is advancedthrough the feed means and under the end ofthe punch 38 in stepby-step fashion, the Vtape serving to feed oradvance the hooks in succession to the punch and the tape also vservesto hold the hooks in position on the punch for clinching engagement withthe backing plates. The stripped tape passes clockwise around threerollerseach designated 94 in Fig. 9, supported in the punch and the tapethen passes through a suitable opening 96 in the punch to the guideroller 62. The roller 62 is rotatably mounted on a pin which issupported in the plate 92 extends forwardly therefrom. Y

Having passed in a clockwise direction over the roller 62, the tapepasses clockwise over the small non-driven pulley 64 on the plate 86 andthen passes counterclockwise under the pivotally supported pulley 66. Inpassing the pulley 66 counterclockwise, the adhesive side of the tape 22engages the periphery of that pulley. The pulley 66 is preferably madeof Teilen or the like so that it will not retain adhesive material fromthe tape passing thereover while still providing sufficient adhesivecontact for braking purposes as will be described. The pulley 66 isrotatably mounted on a pin 100 which is supported in the end of an arm102, the other end of the arm being fixed to a pin 104 which isrotatably supported in the plate 86. A second arm 106 is secured to thepin 104 rearwardly of the plate 86 and is biased in a counterclockwisedirection by a spring 108. Thus, the pulley 66 is biased generallydownwardly by the spring 108, the spring force on the pulley beingopposed by the tension in the tape 22 as it passes from the pulley 64 tothe pulley 66 and as it passes from the pulley 66 to the take-up reel46. The spring force can be adjusted and selected by changing therotated position of a spring `support arm 110 on one of the support pins88 for the plate 86. That is, by rotating the arm 110 and its support112 on the pin 88 and by fixing the support 112 to the pin 88 inselected rotated position, the tension on the spring 108 is adjusted andselected. When the pulley 66 is drawn upwardly by tension on the tape 22in opposition to the force of the spring 102, a knurled rim or rims ofthe pulley 66 will engage a pin 113 which projects from the plate 86whereby to stop rotation of the said pulley. Thus, the pulley 66 whenelevated to engagement with the pin 113 provides a brake preventing orretarding movement of the tape 22 under the tension applied thereto. Asecond pin 115 engages the arm 102 to limit spring biased downwardmovement of the pulley 66.

The take-up reel 46 is rotatably mounted on a shaft 114 which is drivenas will be described in a counterclockwise direction as viewed in Fig.l. The shaft 114 is supported in a block 116 which is mounted on thefront face of the frame plate 44. The projecting front end f the shaft114 is provided with flat faces 118, 118 to secure a pressure plate 120.'I'he pressure plate 120 rotates with the shaft and bears against thefront face 121 of the reel 46, the sai-d front face having a frictionpad adhesively secured thereto. A spring 122 surrounds the projectingend of the shaft 114 and a nut 124 is threaded on the shaft to adjustthe force of the spring on the pressure plate 120 whereby to adjust theforce of the frictional engagement between the pressure plate 120 andthe take-up reel 46. Obviously, the take-up reel 46 will be rotated withthe shaft 114 and the pressure plate 120 due to the frictionalengagement between the said pressure plate and the reel. This frictionalengagement and drive for the take-up reel may be characterized as a slipclutch connection. That is, the take-up reel 46 will rotate with theshaft 114 provided that the force on the take-up reel opposing rotationthereof does not overcome the frictional force of the pressure plate120.

From the foregoing description, it will be readily understood that theconstruction of the take-up reel 46 is quite similar to the constructionof the pay-off reel 26. The pay-off reel is rotatably mounted on anon-rotating shaft, but tension must be applied to the tape 22 towithdraw it from the pay-off reel because the reel 26 is frictionallyengaged with its associated pressure plate. The tape can be withdrawnonly when suiiicient tension is applied thereto to cause the reel 26 toslip relative to the pressure plate. Accordingly, the pay-off reel 26can b e said 6 to incorporate a slip clutch construction similar to thatin the take-up reel 46.

As the take-up shaft 114 is rotated counterclockwise in step-by-stepfashion, as will be described, and as the driven pulley 52 appliesfrictional force to the tape, the said tape will be pulled from the reel26 in step-by-step fashion. In each step of advance of the tape 22, ahook 10 engages a stop in the hook-setting punch 38 and is forcedagainst the stop by the pulling force on the tape. Obviously, if thepulling force is too great, the hooks will be lstripped from the tapeprematurely. While the pulling force can be controlled by adjustment ofthe friction clutches incorporated in the reels 26 and 46, such controlis not so precise as to provide an absolute safeguard against thepossibility of prematurely stripping the hooks from the tape. Such asafeguard is provided by the braking action of the pulley 66 when it isdrawn upwarrdly into engagement with the pin 113.

More specically, the tension on the pulley spring 108 is adjusted topermit the pulley 66 to be drawn upwardly into engagement with the pin113 when the pulling force applied by the take-up reel 46 on the tape 22approaches that force which would prematurely strip the hooks from thetape at the hook-setting punch 38. For example, if it is determined thatthe hooks can be stripped from the adhesive side of the tape by apulling force of four pounds applied to the tape, the tension of thespring 108 is adjusted so that the pulley 66 will engage and brakeagainst the pin 113 when the pulling force applied by the take-up reel46 reaches three and one-half pounds. When the braking pulley 66 engagesthe pin 113 it can no longer rotate, and the excess pulling force isapplied between the take-up reel 46 and the braking pulley. This excessforce will cause the take-up reel 46 to slip relative to its pressureplate and the excess force is not applied to the hook against the stopin the hooksetting punch 38.

As previously mentioned, the drive mechanism for rotating the take-upreels 46 and 50 so as to advance the tapes is operatively associatedwith the press ram 36. The means for translating the reciprocablemovement of the ram into rotation of the take-up reels comprises a drivedevice indicated generally by the reference 126 in Figs. l, ll and 11a.This structure includes a shaft 128 which is rotatably supported in theframe plate 44 and extends forwardly and rearwardly therefrom. A drivegear 130 is secured to the rearwardly extending portion of the shaft 128and engages a driven gear 132 (Fig. 12) on the take-up reel shaft 114.Thus, the take-up reel is rotated with rotation of the shaft 128.

A bearing sleeve 134 (Figs. 6 and lla) is press-fitted in the plate 44to project forwardly therefrom and to rotatably support the shaft 128. Asecond sleeve 136 is secured to the shaft 128 for rotation therewith andabuts against the forwardly facing end of the first mentioned sleeve134. A drive disk 138 surrounds the sleeve 136 and is adapted to drivethe same in ratchet-like fashion. That is, the drive disk 138 has drivemeans which will engage and turn the sleeve 136 and thus the shaft 128clockwise (Figs. l and 11) when the disk is rotated clockwise, butcounterclockwise rotation of the disk will not cause rotation of thesleeve and shaft. The means effecting the driving engagement between thedrive disk and the sleeve and shaft comprises a plurality of balls 140,140 which are respectively disposed in openings 142, 142 in the disk 138and which are directed generally tangentially to the periphery of thesleeve 136. The inner ends of the openings `or cavities 142, 142 openupon the periphery of the sleeve 136 and the balls 140, 140 are springbiased toward engagement with the sleeve. When the disk 138 is rotatedclockwise, the balls 140, 140 are wedged at the bottoms of the cavitiesagainst the surface of the sleeve 136 whereby the said sleeve and theshaft 128 are rotated with the disk. When the disk is rotated in acounterclockwise direction, the balls move up the cavities against thespring force and there is no wedging action against thesleeve and,therefore, the sleeve 136 and the shaft 128 are not rotated.

Asbest shown in Fig. 1l, the drive disk 138 is biased toward rotation inthe counterclockwise direction by a spring 144, the said spring beingsecured to the drive disk 138 at one end and has its other end attachedto a pin 146 which extends between the main frame plate 44 and theforwardly disposed plate 86. The drive disk 138 is moved in a clockwisedirection to drive the shaft 128 when the ram 36 is moved upwardly. Thatis, a cam roller 148 carried at one end of a well crank 149 which inturn is supported on the ram plate 92 engages an arm 150 extendingradially outwardly from the drive disk 138 to effect such clockwisemovement as the ram 36 is elevated. A stop pin 155 projecting rearwardlyof the plateV 92 engages the bell crank 149 to prevent clockwisepivoting movement thereof as the ram is elevated so that the roller 148can engage the arm 150 firmly and move it and the drive disk 138clockwise. When the ram 36 is lowered, the drive disk 138 is rotatedcounterclockwise by the spring 144.

As previously mentioned, clockwise rotation of the drive disk effectsrotation of the shaft 128 and thus rotation of the drive gear 131).Accordingly, the driven gear 132 and the take-up reel shaft 114 arerotated counterclockwise as viewed in Fig. 1. Since the gear 85 isengaged with the driven gear 132, it and the driven pulley 52 will berotated clockwise. Thus, the tape 22 is pulled from the pay-off reel 26by the counterclockwise rotation of the take-up reel 46 and theclockwise rotation of the driven pulley 52, this occurring as the ram 36moves upwardly. When the drive disk 138 is rotated counterclockwise bythe spring 144, the drive gear 130 and the driven gears 132 and 85 arenot rotated. The amount of spring biased counterclockwise rotation ofthe drive disk 138 is limited by engagement of a pin 152 carried therebywith a pin 154 which isfixed to a stop collar. The stop collar 156(Figs. 6 and 11a) is secured to the non-rotating sleeve 134 in adjustedrotated position thereon. In order to assure against inadvertentrotation of the drive gear 130 counterclockwise and clockwise andcounterclockwise rotation of the driven gears 132 and 85, respectively,as the drive disk is spring rotated counterclockwise, a pair of stoppawls 157, 157 (Fig. 12) are engaged with the drive gear 130 and drivengear 132 to prevent rotation thereof in directions mentioned. The pawlarrangement is believed to be necessary to avoid the possibility ofreverse movement of the take-up reel 46 and the driven pulley 52 whichmight permit the feed tape 22 to slacken.

The take-up reel 50 for the backing plate tape 24.is also rotated instep-by-step fashion by the drive structure 126. More specifically, adrive sprocket 166 secured to the extending rear end of the drive shaft128 engages a chain 168 to rotate a driven sprocket 170 which is securedto the extending rear end of the shaft 172 upon which the take-up reel50 is mounted. Obviously, the shaft 172 is rotated in a clockwisedirection as viewed in Fig. l. The shaft 172 is rotatably supported in ajournal 174 which is suspended from the suspension bar 48 in the frontopening of the table 30 The reel 50 is secured to the projecting frontend of the shaft 172 similarly to the manner in which the take-up reel46 is secured to its shaft. That is, a pressure plate 176 is carried bythe shaft 172 and biased into engagement with a friction face 178 on thereel 50, the biasing force being supplied by a spring 180 surroundingthe shaft 172 and seated upon a nut 182 in threaded engagement with thesaid shaft. Here again, the reel 50 incorporates a slip clutchconstruction.

The pay-olf reel for the backing plate tape 24'is also similar to theconstruction of the previously described reels and incorporates a slipclutch in its construction. The elements in the construction of thepay-off reel 28 include a shaft 184 which is non-rotatably supported ina 8 block secured to'and depending from Vthe suspension bar 48, apressure plate 186, a friction .pad facing 187, a spring 188 and aspring compressing nut 190.

The tension on the tape 24 is adjusted by adjusting the frictionalengagement ofthe clutch structure incorporated in the reels 28 and 50,with the clutch in the takeup reel 5t) being adjusted to providesufficient grip for pulling the tape from the pay-off reel 28. The tape24 is pulled from the reel 28 to pass over a roller 192 which isrotatably supported on the suspension bar 48. The tape then passes in acounterclockwise direction around a roller l194 (Fig. 9) which isrotatably supported within the anvil 40 at the free end of a pivotedbifurcated arm 195. The roller 194 is pivotally supported so that it canbe raised to facilitate the threading of the tape 24 through the anvil.The roller support arm 195 normally rests upon a stop pin 196 whichfixes the vertical location of the roller 194. After passingcounterclockwise around the anvil roller 194, the tape extends to thetake-up reel 50 and is wound clockwise thereon with the adhesive side ofthe tape facing radially inwardly thereof.

In Fig. 9, the details of Ithe punch 38 and the anvil 40 are shown inenlarged scale so that it can be understood how the hooks and backingplates are positioned for interconnection. As shown, the tape 22carrying the hooks 10,10 passes beneath the central portion of the punch38 under two of the rollers 94, 94 which are rotatably supported betweendownwardly projecting side walls 200, 200. The tape 22 then extendsaround the third roller 94 in the slot 96 and on through the slot towardthe guide roller 62. An inclined shoulder 202 on each side wall 200 isarranged as a stop to receive an upper edge of each hook 10 while theportion of each hook from which the prongs depend is engaged with' 40. Ahook backing plate 12 is nested in the anvil 40 so that its apertures20, 20 are in registry with the downwardly projecting prongs 18, 18 onthe hook. A plate is properly positioned within the anvil when itsforward edge engages a stop shoulder 212 in the anvil. That is, the tape24 in being advanced counterclockwise around the roller 194 will haveits backing plates 12, 12 stripped therefrom. A backing plate 12 isstripped from the tape 24 within the anvil 40 by the side edges of thebacking plate being engaged by and riding on shoulders 214, 214 definedwithin the anvil. It is preferred thatl the trailing edge portion of abacking plate will be secured to the tape 24 when it is positioned inthe anvil against the stop 212. However, fthe plate can be completelystripped from the tape so that the next adjacent backing plate willthrust the foremost backing plate into engagement at its forward edgewith the stop shoulder 212.

A spring plate 216 is secured to the bottom surface of a working plate(230) which is disposed over the top of the anvil, as will be described,and the tape 24 and the backing plates 12, 12 move thereunder. The saidspring has a centrally disposed portion 218 over the roller 194 whichpresses downwardly on Ithe rear edge portion of the plate 12 engagingthe stop 212 and on the front edge portion of the adjacent plate. Thisprevents the said two plates from overlapping in the anvil. The Vactualfastening together of the hook and backing plate elements isaccomplished when the punch drives the hookV prongs 18, 18 through theapertures 20, 20 in the backing plate and into die inserts 220, 220(Fig. 7) in the anvil, the said die inserts causing the prongs to bebent Itoward each other to clinch against the bottom of the backingplate.

When the punch and ram start to move upwardly, the inclined shoulders202, 202 on the lpunch side Walls 260, 200 lift the hook 10 and thelfabric and attached backing plate 12 a slight amount, at leastsufficient for the backing plate to be lifted clear of the anvil, beforeVthe hook slides olf the said shoulders. A hold-down plate 236 (to bedescribed in more detail) which is normally disposed in spacedrelationship above the working'plate as shown in Fig. 9, is moved intoengagement with the fabric on the working plate to prevent upwardmovement thereof more than the slightv amount mentioned. Thus, thehold-down plate retains the fabric and attached hook and backing plateto prevent upward` movement thereof with the ram and punch. In so doing,the clinched hook 10 is stripped from thertape 22 which moves upwardlywith the punch and ram.

The remaining elements of the machine of this invention will now bedescribed in connection with a general description of the machineoperation. For this purpose, it can be assumed that a hook tape roll hasbeen placed on the pay-off reel 26V and a backing plate tape roll hasbeen placed on the pay-off reel 28, and it can also be assumed that thehook feed tape 22 and the backing plate feed tape 24 have been threadedthrough the machine as described above to place the leading end portionsof said tapes on the take-up reels 46 and 50, respectively. Assumingfurther that the ram 36 is elevated and that the first hook 10 on thetape 22 is properly positioned in the punch 38 and the firstbackingplate 12 is properly positioned in the anvil 40, the machine isready to be operated.

The first step in operation is to place the fabric which is to receivethe hook on the working plate 230 which is positioned between the punch33 and anvil 40. The said plate has Va suitable Opening to accommodatemovement of the punchA toward the anvil, and the fabric is placed on theplate so that the portion thereof which is to receive the hook Iisdisposed over the plate opening. The plate 230 ispivotally supported ona vertical post 232 which is mounted at the left-hand end of thesuspension bar 48 so rthat the plate can be moved in a substantiallyhorizontal plane away from the punch and anvil area when the tapes arebeing inserted in the machine. When the plate 230 is positioned foroperation as shown in Figs. l, 6 and 8, the right-hand end portion ofthe plate is seated upon a rest 234.

It is not necessary for the operator to hold the fabric in place onthe'plate 230 when the machine is operated. The fabric is held in placebythe pivotable generally rectangular hold-down plate 236. The saidhold-down plate has a rearwardly projecting extension 238 which ispivotally connected to a bracket 240 secured as shown in Fig. 6 to thepress frame 34. The hold-down plate 236 also has a suitable opening to"accommodate movement of the punch 38 toward the anvil 40. A gage 242 isadjustably secured to the left-hand edge of the holddown plate 236 sothat fabric articles can be located on the plate 230 with reference tothe said gage whereby to assure that the fabric is positioned so as toreceive the hook and backing plate at the desired location. Thehold-down plate 236 is pivoted downwardly and upwardly by operation ofthe tripping mechanism for the ram air cylinder and also by operation ofthe ram. More specifically, a generally U-shaped member 244 is securedto the top of the hold-down plate 236 and has two legs 246 and 248 whichextend upwardly. The leg 246 has a sliding connection indicated at 250(Fig. 8) with the forwardly projecting end portion of an arm 252 whichis pivotally connected at its rear end with the press frame 34. When thetrip mechanism to be described is actuated to operate vthe press, thearm 252 is pivoted downwardly, this permitting the hold-down plate 236to pivot downwardly due to the sliding connection 250 with the bracketleg V246. However, before the tripping mechanism is actuated and whenthe pivoted arm 252V is in its upper posispaanse tion as shown in thedrawings, the hold-down plate 236 is held upwardly or away from theworking plate 230.Y

The other bracket leg 248 is spring tempered and carries a cam followingroller 254 at its upper end 'which roller is engaged by a cam 256carried on a bracket 258 which is secured tothe ram 36. As will best beunderstood with reference to Fig. 8, when the trip mechanism Visactuated to lower the pivoted arrn 252 and to lower the holddownplate.236, the cam 256 engages the follower 254 on the bracket leg 248to force the hold-down plate 236 downwardly with considerable force asthe ram and hook carrying punch 38 are moved downwardly toward the anvil40. It will be observed that the cam surface is recessed at 260 torelieve some of the hold-down force at the time the hook is beingengaged and clinched with the backing plate. Since some of the hold-downforce is relieved, the fabric will not be held under tension at theinstant the hook is clinched to the backing plate, and thus none of theram force is opposed by the fabric tension and all of the ram force isused in the clinching operation. It will also be observed that thecontour of the cam surface is such that the vhold-down force-isre-applied fully immediately after Vthe hook and backing plate areconnected and When the ram and punch are being elevtated. The re-appliedhold-down force holds the fabric against the plate 236 so as to assistin stripping the applied hook lltl from the adhesive feed tape 22 as thepunch moves upwardly.

The tripping mechanism which has been mentioned includes a treadle 262which is pivotally supported on suitable frame mechanism below the table30 for the convenience of the operator. The said treadle is pivotedbetween its front and rear ends and a connecting rod 264 is pivotallyconnected to the rear end of the treadle so that it can be movedupwardly and downwardly by the treadle. The connecting rod 264 extendsupwardly through a suitable opening 266 in the table 30 and the upperend of said connecting rod is pivotally connected with the pivotallysupported arm 252. Therefore, by pivoting theV treadle 262, the operatoris able to pivot the -arm `252 and to effect pivoting movement. of theholddown plate 236 as described. Y

In addition to being connected with the U-shaped bracket 244 on thehold-down plate 236, the pivoted arm 252 is connected vat its forwardlyprojecting end to a pivot link 268 which is also connected with thebottom end of one of la pair of vertically movable trip rods 272, 272.The trip rods are suitably connected together for vertical movementthrough guide brackets 274, 274 which are mounted on the front face ofthe main frame plate 44. The trip rods 272 extend in generally parallelrelationship with the press ram 36 and the ram air cylinder 35 and theupper ends of said trip rods lare connected with valve Vstructure tocontrol the air flow to the air cylinder 35 as will now be described.

y The air valve operating mechanism includes a horizontally disposedforwardly -and rearwardly extending shaft 276 supported between its endsin a bushing 278 which comprises a bracket extending laterally from theair cylinder 35. The rear end of the shaft 276 is additionally supportedon a center-pointed screw 280 which is supported in and advanced througha bracket 282 mounted on the rear face of the frame plate 44. The shaft276 extends between the two trip rods V272 adjacent and above the lframeplate 44 and a lever plate 284 is connected to the front end of theshaft 276 for rotation therewith. A pivoted link 286 connects the movingend of the lever plate 284 with a plunger 288 forming a part of aconventional valve. The details of the valve structure are not necessaryto an understanding of the present invention, but it should be explainedthat when the plunger is pressed inwardly or toward the air cylinder 35as will be caused by countercloclcwise rotation of the lever plate 284and shaft 276, compressed air from an inlet conduit 290 forces'the airpiston and ram 36 downwardly,`the bottom of the cylinder 35 beingvented. When the plunger 288 is moved outwardly, the compressed airis'admittedto the bottom of the air cylinder 35 while the top thereof isvented to move the air piston and ram upwardly. v

Rotation of the shaft 276 and lever plate 284 to elfect theaforedescribed valve operation is caused by vertical movementfof thetrip rods 272, 272, a cam and cam follower connection being providedbetween the trip rods and the shaft. More specifically, a bracket 292 issecured to said trip rods adjacent their upper ends and the bracketcarries a roller 294 which engages in the fork of a forked cam 296. Thecam 296 is keyed or pinned to the shaft 276 and the cam roller 294 isdisposed in laterally spaced relationship with the shaft so thatvertical movement of the trip rods will rotate the cam and thus rotateor pivot the shaft. The arrangement is such that when the trip rods 272,272 are thrust downwardly by operation of the treadle, the cam 296 ispivoted counterclockwise and thus the shaft and lever plate 284 pivotcounterclockwise to thrust the valve plunger 288 inwardly whereby theair cylinder thrusts the press ram and punch downwardly. When the triprods are elevated by treadle operation, the cam 296, the shaft 276 andthe lever plate 284 are pivoted clockwise to Withdraw the plunger 288whereby to elevate the ram and punch.

Thus, in operation of the machine, the operator has only to place thefabric on the working-plate 230 and thento operate the treadle. In theinitial part of the treadle movement, the hold-down plate 236 dropsagainst the fabric until the ram and punch engage the hook with thebacking plate. Then the operator releases the treadle or pivots it inthe opposite direction to elevate the ram while tne hold-down platesecures the fabric to strip the clinched hook from the adhesive feedtape 22 in the punch. As the ram and punch continue to move upwardly,the hold-down plate is released so that the operator can remove thefabric from the working plate.

As previously described in considerable detail, the feed tapes 22 and 24are advanced through the punch 38 and `the anvil 40 respectively instep-by-step fashion, each step of advance occurring as the ram iselevated after each clinching operation. It is an important feature ofthe present machine that it is designed to utilize the feed tape asmeans for positioning the hooks and backing plates in the punch andanvil for engagement by operation of the ram.- In other words, the feedtapes have force applied thereto to assure proper positioning of the.hook and of the backing plate. The tension in the feed tape 22 to thevertically reciprocable punch is not materially changed by suchreciprocation due to the location of the guide roller 60 with respect tothe guide roller 58. That is, the vertical movement of the ram will notincrease the tape tension because in the upper position of the ram theroller 60 is disposed slightly above the roller 58 and in the lowerposition of the ram'the roller'60 is disposed slightly below the roller58 and because the roller 62 is disposed slightly over the pulley 64 inthe upper position of the ram, and slightly under the pulley 64 in thelower position of the ram. f

It is a further important feature of the machine construction that meansare provided to assure that sucient tension or pulling force is appliedto the feed tape through the down stroke of the ram to position properlythe hook and the backing plate in the punch and the anvil, respectively.The said means comprises a cam plate 300 which is secured as by abracket 302 to the trip rods 272, 272 and which has an inclined face 304engaged by a cam following roller 306 on the bell crank 149. The roller306 is on the end of the bell crank 149 opposite the cam roller 148which engages the radial arm 150 on the drive disk 138 in theratchet-like drive device 126. Thus, as the trip rods are' thrustdownwardly by the treadle, the cam plate 300 causes the bellcrank 149 topivot counterclockwise thereby to turn'the drive disk backing plate 12will be rmlypositioned against the stops 202 and 212 in the punch andanvil, respectively. Thus, if during the normal feeding step occurringdurmg elevation of the ram the leading hook and leading backing plateare not engaged with the stops, the advance of the feed tape during thedownstroke of the ram actuating trip rods will assure proper positioningthereof.

The invention claimed is:

l. A machine for applying a fastening element to fabric or the like inan operation which involves movement of the element from a spacedposition into clinching engagement in the fabric, the said machinecomprising an anvil over which the fabric is to befplaced, a ramreciprocable toward and away from the anvil, power driving means forreciprocating the ram, reciprocable trip means for actuating the saidpower driving means, a punch connected with the ram for reciprocationtherewith and adapted to receive a feed tape supporting a plurality ofthe elements, the said punch being provided with stop means engageablewith one such element supported by the tape to retain the same formovement with the punch and ram from the spaced position into engagementwith the anvil whereby to be clinched in the fabric, and drive means foradvancing the feed tape through thc punch for each reciprocation thereofto engage the said elements with the stop means in sequence, Vthe saiddrive means comprising a take-up reel associated with the feed tape, aone-way drive connected with the take-up reel, drive actuating meanscarried by said ram and engaging said one-Way drive to advance the sameduring movement of the ram in one direction in its cycle ofreciprocation, and cam means carried by the trip means to engage andoperate said drive actuating means during movement of the trip means inone direction in its cycle of reciprocation.

'2. A machine for securing fastening devices to fabric, the devicesbeing of the type comprising a hook element and an eye-element both ofwhich have clinching prongs adapted to extend through the fabric-forengagement with associated backing plates, the machine being adapted toreceive a rst feed tape securing a plurality of the elements and asecond feed tape securing a plurality of the backing plates, the saidmachine comprising a frame structure, -an anvil over which the fabric isto be placed Vand adapted to receive the second feed tape, a ramreciprocable toward and away from the anvil, power driving means forreciprocating the ram, reciprocable trip means for actuating the saidpower driving means, a punch connected with the ram and adapted toreceive the first feed tape and to retain the elements successively formovement with the "ram and punch into engagement with the anvil, anddrive means for advancing the said feed Vtapes through the punch andanvil, respectively, the said drive means comprising rst and secondtake-up reels respectively connected with the first and second feedtapes,

a one-way drive connected with the take-up reels, drive actuating meanscarried by said ram and engaging said one-way drive to advance the sameduring reciprocation of the'ram, and cam means carried by the trip meansto engage and operate said drive actuating means during movement of thetrip means in one direction in its cycle of reciprocation.

3. A machine for applying a fastening element to Vfabric and comprisinga reciprocable ram having means ,to press the hold-down plate againstthe fabric while theram is moved toward thefabric, to release the pres-13 sure of the hold-down plate on the fabric while the element engagesthe fabric, and to again press the holddown plate against the fabricwhile the ram is moved away from the fabric.

4. A machine for applying a fastening element to fabric and comprising areciprocable ram having means for supporting the element for movementfrom a spaced position into engagement with the fabric, a working plateover which the fabric is to be placed to receive the element, a movablehold-down plate to engage the fabric and press it against the workingplate, the said hold-down plate being normally spaced from the workingplate, means operable with each reciprocation of the ram to move thehold-down plate into engagement with the fabric on the working platebefore the ram moves toward the fabric, and cam means interengaging theram and holddown plate and adapted to press the hold-down plate againstthe fabric while the ram is moved toward the fabric, to release thepressure of the hold-down plate on the fabric while the element engagesthe fabric, and to again press the hold-down plate against the fabricwhile the ram is moved away from the fabric.

5. A machine for applying a fastening element to fabric and comprisingan anvil, a reciprocable ram having means for supporting the element formovement from a spaced position into engagement with the anvil, aworking plate adjacent the anvil and over which the fabric is to beplaced to receive the element as it is engaged with the anvil, powerdriving means for reciprocating the ram, trip means for actuating thepower driving means, a pivoted hold-down plate to engage the fabric andpress it against the working plate, the said hold-down plate beingnormally spaced from the working plate, connecting means between thehold-down plate and the trip means adapted to move the hold-down plateto engage the fabric when the trip means is operated to move the ramtoward the fabric, and cam means interengaging the ram and hold-downplate and adapted to press the holddown plate against the fabric whilethe ram is moved toward the fabric, to release the pressure of theholddown plate on the fabric while the element engages the anvil, and toagain press the hold-down plate against the fabric while the ram ismoved away from the fabric.

6. A machine for applying a fastening element to fabric or the like inan operation which involves movement of the element from a spacedposition into clinching engagement in the fabric, the said machinecomprising an anvil over which the fabric is to be placed, a ramreciprocable toward and away from the anvil, power driving means forreciprocating the ram, reciprocable trip means for actuating said powerdriving means, a punch connected with the ram for reciprocationtherewith and being adapted to clinch a fastening element in the fabricby engaging the same with the anvil, a feed tape securing a plurality ofbacking plates to advance them successively to the anvil for clinchingengagement with a succession of fastening elements, and drive means foradvancing the said feed tape through the anvil, the said drive meanscomprising a take-up reel ccnnected with the feed tape, a one-way driveconnected with the take-up reel, drive actuating means carried by saidram and engaging said one-way drive to advance the same during movementof the ram in one direction in its cycle of reciprocation, and cam meanscarried by the trip means to engage and operate said drive actuatingmeans during movement of the trip means in one direction in its cycle ofreciprocanon.

7. A machine for applying a fastening element to fabric or the like inan operation which involves movement of the element into clinchingengagement in the fabric, the said machine comprising an anvil overwhich the fabric is to be placed, a ram reciprocable toward and awayfrom the anvil, power driving means for reciprocating the ram,reciprocable trip means for actuating the said power driving means, apunch connected with the ram for reciprocation therewith to engage afastening element and to clinch it into engagement with the fabric atthe anvil, a feed tape supporting a plurality of the elements for supplyto the punch, and drive means for advancing the feed tape With eachreciprocation of the ram whereby to clinch a succession of the elementsby successive reciprocation of the ram, the said drive means comprisinga take-up reel associated with the feed tape, a one-way drive connectedwith the take-up reel, drive actuating means carried by said ram andengaging said one-way drive to advance the same during movement of theram in one direction in its cycle of reciprocation, and means carried bythe trip means to engage and operate said drive actuating means duringmovement of the trip means in one direction in its cycle ofreciprocation.

References Cited in the ile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,602,507 Adams July 8, 1952 2,718,004 Steinmetz Sept. 20, 19552,852,777 Cohn Sept. 23, 1958

